Balloon



'Y ShBtS--Sheet l.

H BELLA BALLDUN. l

Patented Mar. 26, 1850.

'7 Sheets She 1. 2A H. BELL.

BALLOON.

PatentedvMar. 26, 1850.

H. BELL. BALLOON.

Eaten'd Mm. 26

No. 7,207-I m Z @55615 i 7 Sheets-Sheet 4. H. BELL. BALLOON.

No. 7,207; Patented Mar. 26, 1850 Mzfzesss: 157W 0 i? MMM 7 Sheets--Shee5.

H. BELL.

BALLOONl Patented Mar. 26, 1650 No. 7,207. f

.NiMh/effets,

pg j,

7 Sheets-Sheet 6.

H. BELL.

I BALLooN.

No.7,20.7. v Patented Mam. 26, 1850.

' l 7 Sheets-Sheet 7- H. BELL.

BALLON.

No. 7,207. Patented Mar. 26, 1,850.

HUG'HVBELL, or Lennon. ENGLAND.'

BALLUGN AND ITS APPENIAJAGES. I

Specification of Lettersatent No. 7,297, dated March 26, 1850.

o all whom it may concern:

lie it known that l, Hoon Benn, esquila,

oi'i London, in the Kingdom of England, have invented certainImprovements in Aerial Machines and Machinery in Connection with theBuoyant Power `lroduced by Gaseous Matter.

My invention relates to improvements in aerial machines and in apparatusto be used in connection with the buoyant power produced by gaseousmatter.

ln any aerial motor machines `the suspending, powerl is upon theprinciple of the balloon. lt is combined with mptive power for thepurpose of propelling-the form of the balloonor buoyant part beingmodified for passage through the air andmay be termed the balloon motormachine.

lstly, balloon motor machine: rlhis lin its complete form is composed inthe first place Vot a buoyant apparatus; Qndly, of a frame' work and carto one of which 1s attached an J apparatus `capable 01E producing motivepower; rdly, of a guiding or steering apparatus, and, thly, of apparatusfor arrestingthe progress of the machine over water and land. A

l will now proceed to describe my invention with reference, `to theballoon motor machine which is represented in the figures, Sheet l.

The balloon or bag containing the buoyant gas l construct of anelongated form havlng its greatest length placed in a more or lesshorizontal direction fore and aft (I use these terms to distinguish theadvance from the rear end ot the balloon in its passage through the airas in the ordinary acceptation of those lterms on shipboard.) no matterwhether the form be pearlile, that of two cones placed base to base acylinder with cones at the extremities or any of those -forms liattenedlaterally or vertically. Any one of these forms present veryconsiderable diminution of resistance to the atmosphere onheingpropelled through it inthe direction of its length as, compared 4tothe usual -i'orm of the ordinary balloon. I believe the best form to besomewhat like that shown in around in a horizontal line to about wherethe upper and lower halves of the balloon membrane meet or somewhatbelow this it should be sufficiently loose to admit of the;f balloonbeing distended with buoyant gas above that membrane Without interferingwith its capacity further than by. its own thickness which of coursewould be very trilling. This partition membrane is shown in Figs. 2 and4, Sheet l2 which are longitudinal and transverse sectlons of themachine, 1,arepresenting the membrane of the balloon and b b the septummembrane. It is seen to be close to the lower half of the balloon,

ity above it is distended with gas having ,little or no atmospheric airbeneath it or between it and the lower half of the balloon. The onlyother attachment it would have is at the bottom part of the balloonwhere the rope from the top emptying valve vc passes through the safetygas valve d to be within reach of the aeronaut. This should be a,cylindrical passage supported by hoops so as to prevent any possibilitof the membrane becomin jammed an fouling the valve rope. Tie emptyingvalve might be situated elsewhere, as at the after'extremity of theballoon above the septum membrane b o to be acted upon by a rope fromthe outside. In this case thehooped part of the partition membrane wouldbe unnecessary and it would be left attached byits margin only. Theseptum membrane b b should. prevent' as much as possible all communi-'cation of atmospheric air (if any were beneathit) with the buoyant "gasabove it. If aballoon` with thispartition membrane be filled with gasyabove the septum b b to ,about three fourths of its contents and theremaining quarterbeneath the septum with common air so as to distend itthe balloon may at moderate and at the same time variable elevationsalways be kepttensc without any escape of gas being necessary for on theexpansion of the whole contents of the` apparatus while ascending, inthe atmosphere it is so arranged that alll the atmospheric air beneaththe septum b bwould escape before any of the buoyant gas could do sofrom the balloon aboveh This is effected by means of a valve cconstructed so' earth the buoyant Agas would again become cavity of theballoon and attached all` the situation it would occupy when the c avywould fall.` And if this septum b be nearly'l condensed causing theballoon membrane to become lax, to counteract which atmospheric airshould be injected by the blowing machine f or other'suitable apparatusinto the space beneath the septum b b, from` which it has been sufferedto escape and thus obviate the otherwise fiacci state into which itequal in extent of surface to'one horizontal halfof the balloon itmay bekept tense longer than there could vpossibly be sui'lcient buoyant powerto support the machine in air. The objcct'of this arrangement is tofacilitate the rapid motion of a large machine of this kind through theair and without which it would be im racticable, as will be evident'toany one Wyo has seen a half lled balloon b ag with the wind; under whichcircumstance any propelling poner would if attempted be attended withconsiderable danger to the'balloon;

rThe a1r injecting or filling apparatus if, may be either a large lightsyringe with valves or an apparatus similar to the patent bellows ,ttedwith a single valve to be worked by the hand or by other driving poweremployed for propelling by the vshaft f. The septulnb b havingno tensionto resist but merely tov prevent the` buoyant gas and atmospheric airbecoming diffused or intermingling with each other, maybe so thin as toweigh but a few pounds and the air injecting machine ,may be very smallif It mayl worked by "effective motive power. be here stated that if thepropellin powen be efficiently applied to one of the ormsof the buoyantmachines above mentioned in its distended state it wouldk easilycompensi' sate for several pounds above the weightof the arrangement ofapparatus just described' by the increased ease with which it would passthrough the air on being propelled obliquely upward. It would never berequ1 site to take up any atmospheric-air in tht 5 aration of materialas may be 'most fitted to.-

space between the septum and the lower half of the balloon it is only tobe forced in when lthe balloon as collapsed from a jdei'cient' quantityof gas. The buoyant gas gradually escaping from this machine whileascending in the air may be` made use ofto heat the,v

water to producestearn should such be `used as of the propelling power.The membranes used in the construetionfof the vbuoyant apparatus shouldbe of such material or prepf prevent exosmos'e and endosmose combinedwith the greatest possible lightness -suchY as silk orpreparationsthereof. jj

In place of the vnettin fin common use for strengthening the balloon andaffording an attachment to the framework-or cai' I use flat bands g g g'those made of silk I -belie've will bcfound to give thel greateststrengthA combined with the least weight. These bands g g g are placed;longitudinally andl` transversely around the balloon 'diz and ,alsodiagonally if great strength be yrequired as shown in part at Fig. 1 andstitched Where they cross one another or'they may be so woven. y thisarrangement the advantages gained are greater strength more equalstrain, less resistance to motion through the air and less chaiing tothe silk or membrane a a containing the buoyant gas that being veryconsiderable from the knots of the netsingle strong band attached allaround at the central horizontal line of the balloon. fore and aft andalso to the corresponding inside part of the llattenedbands. v This isshown in the' transverse section, Fig. 4, Sheet 3, where' the balloonmembrane a is bulged inward in order vto show the connecting band bwhere it will be seen to be attached by both margins one to the balloonmembrane a and the other vto the band work or netting 'g'. There shouldbe a lacing in the center of this band all the way around so that whenthe .flat band netting is separated from the balloon it may take onehalf of theband andthe balloon the other half. This separatin bandshould be so broad. as not to inter erewith the ordinary relations'oftheballoon and its netting. The lgreat advantage of -this arranvement isas ollows; Suppose while in the air all the gas was suddenly let out bythe bursting of the above. The impulse towardthe earth would cause thelower half 'membranes to rise and fill or-biilge like a arachute andwould give the occupantsof the: car a chance of being band 6 beingcontinuouslthroughout the horizontal 'circumference it ,may consist of aseries of' bands or straps one at ea'ch vertical band of the .network gg.'

apparatus used`in ballooning, believe will supersede all' that have beenhitherto used for preventing the esca e of gas, and this .from the easewith whic it may be opened itsvsurfaces are reversed and tted to anypart of the balloon wherev it is -wished that ythe gas should escape onthe ltension reaching a certain point and the springs or vul- ,pitch itvforms a certain'safety valve admitting ofthe escape cf gas when it-hasexceeded that-pitch. In theserepresentations which the valves are placedinthe ordinary by meanshfuof a rope attachedv to the lowerplate.-l"ig.=k 3,)Sheet 2, represents-a vertical section; Fig; 4, asideelevation of thisim-V proved valve/:fy ,1, 1, is the rim or valveseat in. onegpiece -with the bridges 4, 4. The valve plateI 9. is largerthan the part against ting inr common use, and I also apply a.

and closed at the will ofthe aeronaut. If'

.balloon and t0 be acted on bl' the aerommt 12.5

balloon with orwithout rupture'of netting brought safe to the ground'.Instead of the;

The construction of my imV roved valve lio canizedindia rubber beregulated to that it is supposed to be in the situation of that in f,

show a diierent position of the propellerskv which would perhaps `bebetter adapted for propelling than that Shown' in the .otherl figures asbeing closer to-the resisting area of the machine and equally Within theconiiiiaiid of the acron'aut, y

During the passage of this aerial machine through the atmosphere it isnecessary to employ some apparatus for guiding their movements which Iterni the steering or tail apparatus (from the siiiiilarity'to` thetailof a bird) which has imparted to it two motions the one a -hinge motionand the other a rotating motion combined for the purpose of obtainingthe necessary movements of an extended surface or fan more or lessapproachiiigto those of the tail of the. bird so that the guiding ordirecting the `whole machine When-iii motion in every direction may beat the commandjof the aeronaut.- The ytail apparatus which isrepresented 'in Figs. l, 2, and 5, Sheet l, is composed of a frame moreiless in the'form of a birds tail over, which some membrane "may bestretched or it may be 'made wholly of metal this moved upon a hingejoint Z by means ofwjla; running cord orchain y i/ passing from-` eithersurface of'the tail fan m over the :pulleys on the ends of the branchesof tubing n npaSSing down into the axis tubingao throng which it 'isconveyed to thepriphery of t ie Wheel p situated at' the extremity ofthis tubing as represented in Y' the frame work or it may be in the caror boat by these meansa complete hinge motion is obtained. By turningthe Wheel p on its axis by the handle s in either direction the ,takenup on the periphery while'the other will be Slacked out causing theextreinity'of the tail to depart from the Y. straight line thewheelapparatus being represented on a large scale at Fig. 3, Sheet 3.

The partial rotation ofl Works the arms being the Whole tail .apparatusjust mentioned is effected by the motion of a. small lever attached tothe arms on each side of the wheel in which its pivot firmly attached tothe tubing o on which the hinge of the tail fan m works this.. tube isrotated by moving the lever vto either side and hence it is called theaxis tfube'the tube in which it has the j rotary 'motion is marked vo.

In F ig. 3, Sheet=3,.wi1l be; thattwo rate 'ets or fixing wheelsare'represeuted for the purpose of? securing the taill m in itsdifferent positions ai is 4attlched to' the Wheel. which, is held at anyrequired point by the 'click :v1 which adjusts the position ofthe tailon its hinge motion -as before explained by the cords y y while theratchet wheels s with its tube o is aifixedto the frame work secures i.the whole apparatus inany'position' ob-v taine'd'byl its rotation withthe tube o by means of the click s where the rotary movement has to beproduced oat o the'straight the motion of its tail {paratus which I termwater f' resented in Figs. 8 .and 9, sheet 2, 'in the ex-- line as henthe tail is situated` much above or belo the level of the boat as wouldbe the case were it situated at the after ex.- Y

before the .hinge by l'means of another similar wheel in reaoh'of theaeronaut through a. succession of pulleys the hinge wheel would act inthe saineway straight tube admittin The first mode of producin tion andslight rotation of t the most simple is that which I The results fromthe above combinations of the hinge motion and rotary motion are thatthe fan may be made to bend on its hinge in any direction' of a circlenamely' up or down or laterally in any diagonal of these motionsconsequently the direction'of the whole machine when moving sufficientlyfor Steerage throughthe atniospl'ieie may be changed upward ,or`downward to either side or to any diagonal of any of these on the sameprinciple' as the bird directs its course by the hinge mo'- understoodby reference to Figs. 2 and 5, Sheet 1, wlierethe dotted lines show thedifferent positions.

My improvements in machines for'arresting motion in aerial machines overthe surface of Water or land consists grapnel, rep# anded and colla sedstates. Its general orm is seen to be t at of an umbrella. ATheribs'2,2, 2, arejmade of iron,'brass or metal 1 tubing and the covering 3 3B'which is fas- -tened firmly to the ribs, of very. strong. clothpreparedV so las to be impervious to the water. The ribs 2-2 are hingedat one end and connected at intervals by stron cords 4-4-4-4 to thecollar 5 at the neck of t e center rod l, 1, so as to prevent the ribsopenl. ing more than to a certainextent. To .the

at hinge'being refer.

-altliough it' might b e placed transversely and its line would not'pass through. a

of a .rotary motion. v.,

which wiii be readily of, 1st, an api short end ofthe Arod above thecollara f strong rope 6 is attached and also to the balloon. The ferruleend 7 is lengthened and of solid metal while the rod l 1s of tubing, andanother smallrope 8 is attachedjto it at` v its extremity. When itisintended to ar# possible while atrseathis 4machine isto-be withathread or slight cord that will easrest the progress of a balloon asmuch 'f ily break.; The apparatus is -n'ow tol be let down rapidly byone being'slack .the vheavy end descends first the aerial machinefcaniascend much -from the diminution of-weight produced the momentthatr the rope becomes tight the thread around the umbrella will` giveway when it the larger rope the smaller v and is carried deeply into thewater before 'naar opens immense resistance to its;l passage through'thewater is produced bythe body ofc water `it vcor'ltai'ns'. -The aerialmachine 6 *is to be' slackened andthe small rope to hauled upon by thisthe Water grapnel has lits ends reversed when it collapses as seen'inFig. V9r and the. only resistance to its being hauled up is its ownweight and the friction arising from its passage through the water. neleither for water or the common one used for 'land should be dropped ifpossible while theaerial machine ils-kept as 4nearly as possible overthe same spot of surface. Again the grapnel rope whether for landerwater should have a long piece or pieces of vulcanized caoutchouc of itswhole breadth or one or more springs proportionably strong in its ropeor the rope should be of an elastic material by these means the suddenjerk occassioned by bringing too is felt in using the common rope fromthe ordinary balloon when the wind is fresh will be in aA great measureprevented.

When steam power is used the generation I water. The balloon becomingspeciicallylighter would rise in the air the consumption of coal oraiiyiniammable fluid should now cease and the gas be allowed to passthrough the tubeto be ignited beneath the boiler as the balloon becamelax air must be pumped or injectedinto its proper receptacle after atime the balloon would gradually diminish in buoyant power until ifallowed it would sink to the ground if at this time water be requiredasmall quantity so as not to increase much the specific gravity of themachine may be caught up by bucket the machine being made to oppose thewind so as to keep it for the time over the water as stationary aspossible.A The coal or fluid ballast is now to be made use of. if theinachinc has a tendency to ldescend it may be kept up by being`propelled in an oblique direction upward until by the use of the ballastthe speciiie gravity has become equal to the air it is moving in. Thedischarging only a portion of ballast or gras alternately b usino" ittonoduce heat for the 0encray CD i D tion of steam carried to a veryslight extent would be suiiicient in most Cases to get into It may beobserved that a vgrapany current oi air or even to pass to the` AtradeWinds to be carried a considerable part of the Way toward itsdestination without incapacitating the machine from returning to thesame means again and again in case of adverse winds until itcould arriveat its destination or obtain a supply of fuel and gas from a station.

It must be recolleeted that taking two orl three miles of atmosphereupward iroin'the surface ofthe earth that there are various This is notnecessarily the case but is believe most frecurrents in differentdirections.

quent-ly found to be so. Under the circumstances it would be necessaryonly to pass from one current to another until one was found more orless fair and to keep in this current without propelling if it were ofthe same specific gravity as the machine or if not tense such propellingpower as by steer-` age would kee the machine in this favorable stratumciten would the current be suf- ,y

iciently strong to carry along the machine for a considerable timewithout any propelling power until another current were met with on thesame level or one passed intol either above or below which wouldcounteract any previous deviation of course. Short flights and towardthe 'close of long flights only would require' greatnicctv in thedirection of its course. i It is not absolutely necessarythat 'thebuoyant power should in all cases be suilicient oi itself to support themachine in air without the propelling power but that it should 4besuiiieient to prevent concussion on alighting on the 'ground to cause4injury to passengers or machine. The propelling power when in actionwould be suliicient to keep the machine up when the latter is steered inan oblique direction upward by the helm or tail even if there should beconsiderable deficiency of buoyant power so that were the propellingpower to cease the machine i'nust at once'dcscend to the ground. Therewould be certainly considerable diliculty in stopping' at diil'erentplaces when the wind was high Athe same amount or' wind which admits ofa common balloon being retained on the ground previous to starting alsoadmits oi' the balloon motor machine being retained bythe Agrapnelespecially as its form is better adapted 'for admitting of its passingmore easily through the atmosphere the propellcrs also would assist muchand would when in action recordingy tothe resistance from the wind inmost cases be quite sufficient to enable the balloon motor machine toremain over the same spot of ground. llhe detaching of the boat from theframe 'work is to be eliiected at sea by using the water grapnel,loweringr away the boat by means oi the tackles 2 il and then on afavorable opportunity oi'ering when the boat is just arrived at thesurface of the water in the desccntof the ballll-5 loon suddenl todetach both tackles (the use of one only if SSible is much to bepreferred); The bal oon should be retained if it would assist in thedirection of course required provided-it be sufficiently sound torclaingas by means of a rope at the head of the boat or nif not all thegas should. be let out of the balloon which should be stowed away' inboard. Recourse should be had tQ detaching the boat only when someaccident had happened so'as to render it not sulficiently buoyant orsafe.

Having described the nature of m invention and the manner of carryingtie same into eiect I would have it understood that I do not confinemyself to the precise details herein set forth; but

What I claim as my invention and desire to'be .protected under LettersPatent- A 1. The application of one or more flexible partitions which Ihave termed the septum membrane to balloons .for the 'purposehereinbefore described.

251 claim the application of a' rotary Ino- 'tion in conjunction with` ahinge motion fortail in order to effect the Steerage substantially inthe manner herein described.

8. I claim the use of the Water grapnel for the urpose of arresting themotion of aerial macliin'es and also the application of elastic ropes tograpnels either forland or Water and which elastic ropes may be formedentirely of elastic material or by introducing omehelastic'material ormetal spring vin its engt 4. And lastly I claim the construction of thevalve shown in the Figs.- 3, 4, 5, Sheet 2, as applied tq balloons in'which the valve or plate duringits motion retains a position parallelto its seat.

HUGH BELL.

Witnesses JOSEPH MARQUEITE, CHARLES JOHNS.

